Rat-Hole Miners: ‘Rat-hole’ miners adept at burrowing small tunnels

DEHRADUN/SILKYARA: The operation to evacuate the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi saw the entry of a team of six ‘rat-hole’ miners on the site on Monday. The team, specialised in burrowing in small tunnels, will dig through the 10-12 meters of debris, beyond which the workers are trapped.
Talking to TOI, Prasadi Lodi, a steadfast miner in the team, reassured, “We have no issue of claustrophobia as we have worked inside pipes much smaller and narrower,” underscoring the fearless commitment these individuals bring to this mission.
Lodi proudly shared, “We have done digging for hours sitting inside a 600mm pipe,” offering a glimpse into the audacious nature of their past endeavours. Their proven track record not only signifies their resilience but also their ability to dig approximately 6 metres within a 12-hour timeframe, injecting a ray of hope into the hearts of the trapped workers awaiting rescue.
Deployed by the private company Trenchless Engineering Services – which is also the owner of the American Augers horizontal boring machine – the miners have left a mark with their past achievements in excavating small tunnels for laying water pipelines in Delhi and other states. Armed with shovels and a compact drill machine, they will operate in pairs, navigating the pipe and manually clearing debris, gradually inching closer to the workers.
As the team gears up for this high-stakes operation, an air of anticipation and hope surrounds their every move. The presence of engineers from the army adds a layer of precision to the operation, ensuring every move is meticulously planned and executed.